Civic League Cook Book.

by Anonymous.

Soups

A Sweet Disposition.

Three grains of common sense, one large heart, one good liver, plenty of fresh air and sunlight, one bushel contentment, one good husband. Do not bring to a boil.

GERMAN SOUP.--Good, fresh beef and some cracked bone are all important for soup making. The stock when nutritious, and properly prepared, forms the basis of meat soups. To make the stock great care must be taken in boiling the meat. Put your meat on in cold water, enough to cover the meat, set on the stove to boil, for four hours, slowly but steadily; never boil very fast. When meat becomes tender, add salt, skim carefully, repeat until no more sk.u.m arises. Now if more water is needed, always add boiling water from tea kettle. In adding vegetables, prepare such as one prefers, pick over and wash them, chop them, take out the meat, strain the stock through either a fine strainer or a cloth, return to kettle, drop in the vegetables, boil until tender. Add also the meat after the bone is taken out; cut it up in medium sized pieces. The vegetables give the meat a nice flavor. I use cabbage, carrots, onions, tomatoes, peas, parsley, celery and potatoes. Now for other soups the stock is prepared the same way. Noodle soup may be made and rice soup; the rice to be parboiled; then there are the egg dumplings, or barley, vermicelli, and many other kinds of ways to have a change. Celery or parsley should always be used as it flavors the stock very fine for any kind of soup.

POTATO SOUP.--Now this soup is made of left over meat and the bones of roasts, put them on in cold water and boil slowly; you may also add a little fresh meat; then dice some potatoes, strain the stock and return to the stove, put in the potatoes and some rice, boil until tender, then heat a little grease and fry onions until glazed, add a little flour, brown with onions in grease, then pour the soup into this hot mixture, and let it come to a boil. That is fine.--Mrs. George Bruegger. (Demonstration of German Cookery No. 2.)

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP.--Take two celery roots, cut up fine and slowly cook one hour in a pint of water; flavor with a little piece of onion; strain through fine sieve. Mix one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter and two of flour, add one quart of milk and boil twenty minutes. Add a little salt and pepper. Serve with one cup of whipped cream added the last minute.--Mrs. R. J. Walker.

GREEN PEA SOUP.--One pint or one can green peas, one quart boiling water, one pint milk, two tablespoons b.u.t.ter, one teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, one half teaspoon sugar, two tablespoons flour. Cook peas in water, scald milk. When peas are soft mash through a strainer, add milk and reheat. Rub flour and b.u.t.ter together, stir into them a little of the soup and turn this mixture into the rest of the soup. Stir till smooth, season. Serve with croutons. To make croutons, cut b.u.t.tered slices of bread one-half inch thick into one-half inch squares, heat these on a pan in the oven, stirring occasionally. They may be kept and reheated.--Dorothy Whitehead.

Demonstrated in 7th grade Domestic Science lesson.

ONION AND POTATO SOUP.--One and one-half quarts milk (steamed), two large potatoes and two onions chopped real fine, season with b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt. Cook in a stew pan until done. When ready to serve pour together.--Mrs. John Heffernan.

CREAM TOMATO SOUP.--One can of tomatoes put through a sieve, season with b.u.t.ter, pepper and salt; thicken with two tablespoons flour, bringing to a boil. Steam one and a half quarts milk in double cooker, just before serving, pour together, stirring with a spoon.--Mrs. John Heffernan.

SOUP STOCK.--Two soup bones, one of mutton and one of beef, (cracked to get the good of them), one onion chopped fine together with two tablespoons sugar, brown in kettle, stirring to keep from burning. Add meat bones, turning them over a few times. Pour in four quarts cold water, add one carrot, chopped fine, and bay leaves. Boil slowly three hours, strain and season to taste. Any vegetable may be added to this.--Mrs. John Heffernan.

MOCK OYSTER SOUP.--To one can tomatoes add two quarts milk, tablespoon b.u.t.ter, salt and pepper. (Steam milk in double cooker.) Stew tomatoes in sauce pan, season, and when ready to serve pour together.--Mrs. John Heffernan.

CHICKEN GUMBO SOUP.--Fry a chicken, remove bones and chop chicken fine.

Put in a kettle with two quarts boiling water, three large ears of corn cut from cob, six tomatoes sliced, twenty-four pods of okra cut up. Fry the corn, tomatoes and okra brown in the chicken drippings first, then add to the water and chicken with two tablespoons rice, pepper and teaspoon salt. Simmer one hour.--Mrs. Whitehead. Southern Cookery demonstration.

MULLAGATAWNAY SOUP.--Cut four onions, one carrot, two turnips and one head of celery into three quarts of liquor in which one or two fowls have been boiled; keep it over a brisk fire till it boils, then place it on a corner of the fire and let it simmer twenty minutes. Add one tablespoon of currie powder and one tablespoonful of flour; mix the whole well together and let it boil three minutes; pa.s.s it through a colander. Serve with pieces of roast chicken in it. Add boiled rice in a separate dish. It must be of good yellow color and not too thick.

Half veal and half chicken will answer.--Mrs. Whitehead.

BOUQUET OF SWEET HERBS.--Two sprigs of parsley, two bay leaves, two sprigs of thyme, two of summer savory and two of sage. Tie the dried herbs with the parsley. Nice for seasoning soups and stews.--Contributed.

BOILED POTATO DUMPLINGS.--Grate several potatoes, add salt to taste, a little nutmeg, one egg and some bread crumbs browned in b.u.t.ter, a little flour and milk, add enough flour and milk so as to handle and make in b.a.l.l.s. Drop into boiling salt water. When done brown some bread crumbs in b.u.t.ter and put over dumplings when on platter.--Mrs. Paul Leonhardy.

DUMPLINGS.--Two cups of flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one-half teaspoon salt, one cup sweet milk. Stir and drop from a spoon into chicken broth or boiling meat. Let boil fifteen minutes with cover off and put cover on and boil five minutes.--Mrs. A. McKay.

NOODLES.--Four eggs well beaten, one tablespoon water, 2 cups flour, one-half teaspoon salt. Work and knead together and roll out in very thin sheets; let them dry; roll up like jelly roll and cut into very fine strips; then drop into boiling salted water and boil ten minutes; or they may be boiled in soup and served with it. If wanted as a separate dish drain them in a colander and turn them into a dish. Fry bread crumbs in b.u.t.ter a light brown and turn them over the noodles and serve. These noodles can be fried in grease instead by cutting the sheets into strips two inches wide and four inches long, and dropping them into hot grease. Lift out and dredge with sugar. Both very nice.--Mrs. Paul Leonhardy.

OYSTER SOUP.--Heat one quart of milk with two large tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter. Heat a solid pint of oysters in enough water to cover them. Add one large teaspoonful of salt and a good deal of pepper. As soon as the oysters get plump and the gills "ruffle" add them to the hot milk. Stir in a cupful of crushed cracker crumbs and serve in soup plates or bowls, with oyster crackers.--Mrs. B. G. Whitehead.

RAISED DUMPLINGS.--Soak a cake of compressed yeast in a cup of lukewarm milk, together with a tablespoonful of sugar and a teaspoonful of salt.

Sift a pint of flour into a bowl and stir into it a cupful of milk, an egg and the soaked yeast and work all thoroughly, adding gradually flour for a soft dough. Do not get it stiff. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it has doubled the original bulk. Flour the kneading-board and mold the dough into small biscuits. Let these rise for half an hour. b.u.t.ter a large, round pan and set your dumplings within it, brushing each with melted b.u.t.ter on top. Pour in enough milk to reach halfway to the top of the dumplings. Set upon a brick in the oven and bake to a light brown. Eat with vanilla sauce or prunes.

NO. TWO.--Proceed as with No. 1, but instead of baking in the oven, put the dumplings into a steamer, not too close together. Allow for swelling. Cover with a close lid to keep in the steam. These may also be served with vanilla or with prune sauce.

NO. THREE.--Have ready a large kettle of boiling water, slightly salted, and after shaping the dumplings drop them carefully into this.

Leave plenty of room to swell and puff. Or they may be steamed in clear soup. If you like you may try all of these recipes and still have enough dough left for a pan of biscuits.

Fish, Oysters and Sh.e.l.l Fish

"He was a brave man who first ate an oyster."--Dean Swift.

FISH.--With the possible exception of salmon, fish is a less nutritious article of diet than flesh meat, and yet it fitly supplements the latter. The oily and coa.r.s.er grained species is more nutritious than the white, or finer grained but not so easily digested. A fish is in good condition when its gills are bright clear red, its eyes full and the body firm and stiff. Before cooking they should be well washed in cold water and kept in salt water for a short time, but they should not be allowed to stand in water for any length of time and should be kept upon ice until wanted. Small fish are usually fried or boiled, all large fish to be boiled should be wrapped in a cloth and tied closely with twine, steaming is preferable to boiling. Salmon, bluefish, halibut and shad are very palatable baked in cream. Mackerel is best broiled and should be broiled upon the skin side first; other fish first on the inside. In boiling fish, let simmer gently as hard boiling breaks them; time, eight minutes to a pound, sometimes longer.

BAKED FISH.--Clean and wipe dry a white fish or any good sized fish, stuffing made like that for poultry, but drier. Sew it up and put in a hot pan with drippings and a lump of b.u.t.ter; dredge with flour and lay over the fish a few thin slices of salt pork or bits of b.u.t.ter. Bake half hour, basting occasionally.

BOILED FISH.--All fresh fish, except salmon should be placed in salted cold water for boiling. If placed in boiling water the outside would cook much sooner than the inside. A little vinegar added to the water in which fish is boiled improves the flavor. Put the fish in the kettle with the back bone down, to three or four pounds of fish put a small handful of salt. Boil the fish gently until you can draw out one of the fins easily. Most varieties of fish will be well done in twenty or thirty minutes, some in less time. Serve with drawn b.u.t.ter, with hard boiled eggs sliced, or if preferred, milk sauce.

BAKED WHITE FISH WITH TOMATOES.--Take a white fish or trout that will weigh about three pounds, clean, rub with salt and pepper inside and out. Lay a piece of salt pork, not too fat, in the flesh, put in a covered baking dish and turn over it one pint of stewed seasoned tomatoes, cold tomatoes left over are nice. Bake about forty minutes.

SCALLOPED SALMON.--Place in a baking dish a layer of cracker crumbs, then a layer of salmon, then another layer of cracker and salmon, ending with a layer of cracker. On this pour two cups of milk, one egg whipped. Add salt, pepper and b.u.t.ter size of an egg. Bake.

SALMON CUTLETS.--One cup of hot mashed potatoes and one cup of salmon, mash together and form into cakes, put in a beaten egg, roll in bread crumbs or crackers and fry in hot lard.

FRIED FISH.--Wash the fish thoroughly, wipe dry, sprinkle lightly with salt, dip in beaten egg then roll in cornmeal, fry in hot fat.

Note--Above fish recipes were demonstrated in American Cookery series by Mrs. A. McKay.

FISH CROQUETTES.--Two small or one large white fish; boil, bone and chop; add a little salt, red pepper and onions; make gravy of the water the fish is boiled in; add milk, b.u.t.ter and flour; stir in fish, shape into croquette, roll in egg, cracker crumbs and fry in hot lard.

Garnish with parsley.

TARTARE DRESSING FOR FISH CROQUETTES.--Take yolk of one raw egg; beat; add a little salt, red pepper, mustard and mix well. Beat in salad oil until thick; let stand on ice until needed. Then add juice of two lemons or half cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of capers, six small cuc.u.mber pickles chopped fine and very little onion. Serve cold with hot croquettes.--Mrs. Whitehead.

OYSTER c.o.c.kTAIL.--Half pint of catsup, twenty-five drops tabasco sauce, one tablespoonful horseradish, one teaspoonful dry mustard, one teaspoonful lemon juice, oysters, pepper and salt to taste. Put four or five oysters in gla.s.s and pour one tablespoon of this sauce over them.

Fill gla.s.s with finely chipped ice, serve at once.--Mrs. Davidson.

OYSTER c.o.c.kTAIL.--A small oyster is used, five or six being alloted each person. For six persons mix together three teaspoons each of vinegar, grated horseradish and tomato sauce; six teaspoons of lemon juice and one of Worcestershire sauce. Have the oysters very cold. Put an equal amount of the prepared sauce over the oysters in each gla.s.s.

The gla.s.s should be placed upon a plate. Serve with an oyster fork and small spoon. This is the prevailing way of serving oysters as a first course.--Mrs. R. J. Walker.

OYSTERS a la BECHEMEL.--Melt three tablespoonfuls of b.u.t.ter and blend it with two tablespoonfuls of flour, add one large cupful of thin cream or milk and cook thick. Plump a scant pint of oysters in their own liquor. Season with one teaspoonful of salt, a dash of cayenne, juice of half a lemon and one-half teaspoon of onion juice squeezed from an onion. Add oysters to the cream sauce and cook two minutes. Serve in pattie sh.e.l.ls or on toast.--Mrs. Whitehead.

SALMON LOAF.--One pound can salmon, four well beaten eggs, one cup fine cracker crumbs, one tablespoon melted b.u.t.ter, half teaspoon salt.

Remove bones from salmon and mince finely. Mix all together with hands, form into loaf and steam one hour. Serve with following sauce: Take liquid from salmon and add two tablespoons sweet milk, little salt, one tablespoon corn starch, boil all together and pour over loaf.--Mrs.

Schollander.

SCALLOPED SALMON.--Place in a baking dish a layer of bread crumbs then a layer of salmon, another crumbs and salmon, ending with crumbs. On this pour two cups of milk, one egg (whipped), salt, pepper and b.u.t.ter the size of an egg.--Mrs. Paul Leonhardy.

OYSTER FRITTERS.--Beat yolks of two eggs light, add one half cup milk and one cup of flour sifted with one fourth teaspoon of salt. Beat well and add one half teaspoon of melted b.u.t.ter. Set aside for an hour or so in a cool place. When ready to use beat the whites of eggs stiff and add them. Take a large oyster in a big spoon, dip it into the batter and filling the spoon and drop into smoking hot grease or fry like doughnuts. Serve with tomato catsup or any preferred sauce.

OYSTER SAUTE.--Drain select oysters, heat pan hot and brown b.u.t.ter in it. Just cover the bottom of the pan with large oysters as soon as the b.u.t.ter sizzles and is piping hot. When brown on under side turn and brown well. Season with salt and pepper. Add b.u.t.ter as needed and turn the oysters and b.u.t.ter sauce on to prepared toast points. Heat the dry pan again, add b.u.t.ter and when hot brown more oysters in it. The b.u.t.ter must be hot and only a few oysters should be browned at a time.